Stay
by L122yTorch
Summary: Olivia has no place to go since her apartment is now a crime scene, so she turns to the only person that has always had her back. But perhaps her temptation to reclaim their friendship and rekindle their spark will end up starting a fire.
1. Chapter 1

She had nowhere else to go, nowhere else to turn. Her apartment was a crime scene, her life was a mess, and she found herself knocking on Elliot Stabler's door for refuge. She had to stay somewhere, and she'd considered hotels and even the precinct cots, but she just wanted to be near him, even if she couldn't have him.

The sexual tension brewing between the partners was so palpable that it was embarrassing. Because both of them were so frustrated, their friendship was taking hits. Every conversation turned into a fight, every quip had a jagged undertone, every look burned into her memory. And still, even with their friendship on the rocks, their partnership near ruin, she came to his house, to stay with him in the aftermath that was the Bronson case.

Kathy took the kids and went to her mother's house, a clear sign that Stabler's marriage was also on the rocks. She only found out this fact as the cab pulled up to his house. For a moment she worried about being alone with Elliot…until he texted that his cousin Evan would also be staying with him for the weekend.

Her heart beat faster as she opened the cab door, grabbed her bag and headed towards his doorstep. She was such a massive part of his world, his work world, but this was different, this was his home, the tender secret place that he retreated to when work wasn't lording over him. And she was about to invade that private world.

Oh well, it was too late to turn back now. Stabler popped the door open before she even reached it. He was coming out to get the mail. "Hey Benson," he said casually, as if she was a permanent fixture, a person who belonged on his sidewalk. "Hey," she said back with an awkward smile.

"Ready for our sleepover?" he jested, making her heart skip. She was trying so hard to push down the longing in her chest, but it kept bubbling back up every time she saw his icy blue eyes. "Yeah," she gave a nervous chuckle, "I brought my slippers and popcorn."

"Good," he said, opening the mailbox, taking its contents and shutting the lid. "Come on in."


	2. Chapter 2

Olivia had been to Elliot's house before, the scene was familiar, but it felt different knowing that Kathy wasn't home. It surprised Olivia that Kathy would even let her stay here for the weekend. Maybe Elliot hadn't asked her permission, or maybe her outlook on their marriage was as grim as Elliot's. Either way, she was here now.

"Can I offer you something to drink or eat?" Elliot asked. Olivia just looked over her shoulder at him and rolled her eyes. "C'mon Elliot, we're practically family, you don't have to play host." Elliot nodded and let out a nervous sigh he didn't know he was holding in.

"Damn El," said an unfamiliar voice. "When you said you're partner would be coming to stay for the weekend…you failed to mention that she was a drop-dead gorgeous woman." Elliot's cheeks flushed a little.

Olivia watched as a man who looked somewhat similar to Elliot approached her with his hand extended. He had the same icy blue eyes that sent shivers down her spine. Dear god, what had she gotten herself into.

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Evan," he smiled. "I was expecting a muscled up, tatted up, mid-forties dude with a beard. So you definitely exceeded my expectations."

She shook his hand. "Glad to shatter those expectations," she laughed. "I'm Olivia. I guess Elliot doesn't talk about work much," she shot her partner an accusatory glance.

"Eh, you know Elliot, always dark, mysterious, brooding, complicated, it's his MO." She nodded in agreement.

Olivia smiled. She took off her jacket, excused herself to the kitchen and brought back three beers. Elliot had the football game on and chips and dip on the center table. It was so weird to see Elliot and Evan glued to the screen, cold beers in their hands, cheering for the Giants. The scene was so…normal.

She had worked with Elliot for so long that it had become hard to imagine his home life. It was a side of him that he typically kept under strict lock and key.

Thinking all of this, she must have been staring at Elliot too much because Evan noticed. "So uh…you two ever bang?" he asked as he casually popped a chip in his mouth. Olivia's mouth dropped a little as Elliot gave Evan the sharpest, harshest glare she had ever seen. It was a look he usually reserved for the sickest perps.

"No," Elliot answered bluntly.

"Oh come on, don't give me the death stare Elliot. It's a valid question, I'm sure everyone thinks it."

Elliot continued the glare.

"Ok, I'll drop it," Evan put his hands up in concession. "I give you props though El, it would take everything in my willpower not to flirt with Olivia," he flashed a seductive smile at Olivia that made her stomach turn inside out with butterflies. And when she looked over at Elliot, it seemed as though his head was about to explode….which satisfied some twisted part in her.

Elliot had been such an asshole lately. He picked old wounds, treated her coldly, fought with her constantly…hell, even the chief was considering reassigning them, but it never materialized. Just to screw with him, Olivia decided to start flirting back with Evan. Nothing too ridiculous, but just subtle little things that she knew would drive Elliot mad. She never could have anticipated just how well her plan would work.


End file.
